Chapter 18 - Classification Essays
The final essay type: the structural discipline that all academic writing assumes
The gap this chapter addresses
Classification is not one essay type among others - it is the cognitive operation underlying all of them. This is where the underlying skill, present in every other essay type, finally becomes explicit.
Run every set of student categories through all three tests before drafting begins - most category errors are caught here, not in the writing.
Additional activities for Chapter 18
Activity A15-20 min
Three-Test Category Check. Given a flawed set of categories (overlapping or incomplete), students apply the Three-Test System and revise the categories until all three tests pass.
Activity B15-20 min
Organising Principle Reveal. Students classify a familiar set of items (their own apps, games, or shows) and must state the single organising principle behind their categories before describing each one.
Further resources
GenAlphaWrite Companion Website
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writealpha.com
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© Dr. Saad Torki
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Last update: 10 July 2026